Excavating and conveying apparatus



Aug. 11, 1931. w. H. DANCE 1,817,971

EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4. 1930 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. DANCE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS EXCAVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Application filed December 4, 1930. Serial No. 499,918.

This invention relates to excavating and conveying apparatus including first an inverted bucket adapted to be moved over a terrain surface,remove a load of material therefrom, convey said load to a receiving terrain portion, and in side elevation a bucket embodying the invention, pull cables, connected with the bucket, and means for operating the cables.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the bucket and portions of pull cables coupled to opposite end portions of the bucket. I

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of Flgure 2. Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a different form of the hinge connection between the scraper and the bucket body hereinafter described, the scraper be ing in an inoperative position.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the scraper in an operative position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section on line 8-8 of Figure 7 The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The bucket comprises a body portion including two spaced apart side members 12, each having a runner 13, and a top member 14 fixed to the upper edges of the sides 12,

and a scraper portion 15 connected at one edge by hinges with the body portion at the rear end portion of the top, said parts being preferably metal plates suitably reinforced and riveted. The side members are arranged in parallel planes and the top member is arranged in a plane substantially at right angles to the planes of the side members.

In the embodiment shown by Figures 1 to 5, each hinge is preferably constructed;

as best shown by Figure 5, and includes a member 16, fixed to the top member ll, and a member 17 fixed to the scraper portion. The hinges used in the embodiment shown by Figures 6, 7 and 8 are differently constructed, as hereinafter described.

The scraper portion has a free scraping edge 15a, adapted to engage material between the side members 12. I combine wlth the body and scraper portions means releasably confining the scraper portions in the operative position shown by Figure 3, said means being preferably tethers composed of chain lengths attached at their opposite ends to the top member and the scraper portion. I

hen the bucket is being advanced in the direction of arrow X, the tethers confine the scraper portion so inclined that its scraping edge is in advance of its hinged edge and positioned to engage and raise ma- 1 terial between the side members 12, so that a load indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3, is accumulated in a V-shaped space between the scraper portion and the top member 14. When the bucket is being retracted in the direction of arrow Y, the tethers permit the scraper portion to swing upward against the top member to the inoperative position shown by Figure 6. The end portionsof the bucket are provided with forward and rear coupling members 22, 23,

adapted for engagement with pull cables whereby the bucket may be advanced to accumulate and deliver a load, and retracted to first release the load and then be returned to a starting position.

to exert an advancing pull, and the cable 21 a withdrawing pull.

One end of the cable 20 is engaged with couplings 22, fixed to the forward ends of the sides 12.

In the embodiment shown by Figures 2 and 3, the cable 21 is engaged with couplings 23, fixed to the rear ends of the side members 12, while in the embodiment shown by Figures 6 and 7, the cable 21 is engaged with couplings 24, fixed to the scraper portion 15 for a purpose presently explained.

In each instance the cable 20 is secured to a drum 25 on which it, may be wound; to advance the bucket, and the cable 21 is secured to a drum. 26 on which it may be wound to retract the bucket.

The drums may be mounted on a temporarily fixed holder 27 having mechanism (not shown) for rotating the drums, each drum being adapted to alternately take up and let out i s cable. Vhen the drum winds or takes up the cable 20, the drum 26 permitsthecable 21 to unwind, and when the drum takes up, the cable 21, the drum 25 permits the cable 20 to unwind. The cable 21 passes partly around a loose pulley 28 on a fixed support 29, and is so arranged that when it is wound on the drum 26, it exerts a rearward or retracting pull on the bucket.

It will now be seen that when the bucket has accumulated load, and is advanced to locate the load on a receiving area, the load bears on. said area so that when the bucket is withdrawn therefrom, it is pulled away from and releases the load. During the retraction of the bucket the scraper portion 15 isperm itted to swing upward and pass freely over projections in: its path. Then the bucket is again advanced, the scraper pprtion is caused: to assume an operative position and accumulate another load.

hen thebucket is employed to dredge a submerged terrain surface. the rear end portion of the top member 1% is preferably provided with an inclined wing or rearward extension 1 4a on which the water exerts pressure when the bucket is advancing, said pressure tending to incline the, top member 14 and thereby raise the forward end thereof asindicated by Figure. 1, so that more material may be accumulated under thetop.

(hen the bucket is used. on an exposed terrain surface (notsubmerged), the hinges connecting, the scraper portion 15 with the top body portion are' preferably constructed as shown by igures-G, and 8, the inclined portion. late; of the top member being omitted.

Each of said hinges includes a socket member 3 1, fixed to the rear end portion of the top member. 1 1, and provided with a horizontal slot 82 constituting a longitudinally elongated hinge socket, and a pintle member fixed, to the scraper portion 15 and adapted to,turn and move laterally in the slot; 32, the cable 21 being connected directly with the scraper portion 15 by the couplings 24, as before stated.

The arrangement is such that when the retraction of the bucket commences, the scraper portion is moved bodily rearward by the cable 21, to the position shown by Figure 6, from a position under a load accumulated between it and the top member 14, so that the release of the load is facilitated.

The cable 21 passes loosely through a guide on the body composed, in this instance, of upstanding ears fixed to the top member. 14, and loose pulleys 35 and 36 rotatable between said ears. The cable 21 passes between the pulleys and may contact with either the pulley as shown by Figure 3, or with the pulleys 36 as shown by Figure 6. The guide prevents undesirably loose swaying movements of the cable 21.

It isobvious that any other suitable means may be employed for exerting an advancing pull on the cable 20 and a withdrawing pull on the cable 21.

I claim:

1. An inverted scraping bucket comprising in combination, a body portion composed of spaced apart side members arranged in parallel planes and provided with runners formed to move in material to be excavated and conveyed, and a top member fixed to the. upper portions of the side members and arranged in a plane at right angles to the planes of the side members, the side. and top member defining a material: receiving space which is open at the bottom and ends, of the bucket; a scraper portion extending across the space, between said side members and hinged to the body portionv at the rear end of the top member, said scraper portion being adapted to extend at an incline from the top member to the runners, and swing from a load collecting to a load releasing position; and flexible tethers connecting-the scraper portion with the body portion, the arrangement being such that when, the bucket is running forward the tethers. are under tension and cause the scraper portion to project forward at an inclineunder the top member and cooperate with the body portion in accumulating a load, and when the bucket is running backward the, scraper portion swings forward and upward toward the top member and the bucket moves away from the-load.

2. An inverted scraping bucket as specified by claim 1, comprising also a pressurereceiving wing inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the rear end of the said top member.

8. An inverted scraping bucket as specified by claim 1, the scraper portion being provided with means whereby a bucket withdrawing cable may be coupled thereto, the

hinges being formed to permit rearward bodily movement of the scraper portion by said cable from a position under a load when the cable is pulled to withdraw the bucket.

In testimony whereof I have alfixed my signature.

WILLIAM H. DANCE. 

